My father bought this farm in 1972 and I worked part time with him.
We have Herefords here on the farm and I find them very easy to manage. They are easy to flesh and do well on grass. Quality grass and quality silage are key to keeping them healthy and thriving.
I studied agriculture in UCC and then UCD before heading to Africa to teach agricultural science to kids, when I returned, I began working in the Irish Co-Operative Organisation Society (ICOS). I’ve just retired after 40 years and I’m really enjoying being able to farm at my own pace, alongside my son Eoin.
The farm was in tillage and beef until 2017, but now it’s solely beef. When I took over, I began a programme of reseeding the fields, I had them sown with spring barely for two years and then back to grass, this really rejuvenated the land. I still reseed regularly and soil sample to keep producing grass as efficiently as possible.
We maximise our turnout on the farm and try to keep the winters short by turning out by early March. We monitor parasite egg counts and treat accordingly from the time the Herefords arrive on the farm and they are usually ready before they reach 24 months of age. The main challenge we face at the moment is increasing stock numbers without building more sheds, as this is very costly in the current climate.
My son Eoin is key to the farm’s success, he works part time with me and is also an accountant with a pharmaceutical company. In my spare time I love to get out sea fishing, I’m a member of a club from Cork harbour and we head out for long days of relaxation and fun on the boat.
The key to high performance overall is not only quality grass but also quality silage.
I love the satisfaction that farming brings, with docile animals thriving well at grass to produce a quality and yet sustainable beef product. Now that I’m retired from ICOS I am fortunate to be able to enjoy farming more and take the time to watch the animals develop without having to rush.
I love seeing the better performance of the Hereford cattle following the improvements to the structural layout of the farm that we make over time. They are so content when they always have high quality fresh grass available.
